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Tobacco control

Advice for tobacco retailers

There are a number of rules and regulations regarding the sale of tobacco in Northern Ireland including age restriction, packaging requirements and the display of tobacco products. Any retailer found to be in breach of these regulations may face prosecution and fines of up to £5000.

Tobacco Register NI.

Under the Tobacco Retailers Act (Northern Ireland) 2014, anyone running a tobacco business in Northern Ireland must register with Belfast City Council. The register is a list of businesses that are accessible by the public and sell tobacco.

If a person owns more than one business, each business must be registered at separate business addresses.
Failure to register is a criminal offence and could be fined up to £500, or face prosecution and be fined up to £5000. This offence can be held on record for five years.

The registration process is free and requires you to fill in a form either:

For more information or to speak to a member of our Tobacco Control Team, please contact us on 028 9027 0428.

Smoke-Free NI

Under The Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 it is against the law to smoke in ‘enclosed’ and ‘substantially enclosed’ workplaces and public places such as bars and offices; the regulations also extends to work vehicles and public transport.

The legislation was introduced to protect workers and the public from exposure to second-hand smoke and is enforced by our Tobacco Control Officers.

An Individual can receive a fine of £50 or face prosecution and be fined up to £1000 if they smoke in smoke-free premises or smoke-free vehicles.

Anyone responsible for smoke-free premises (including vehicles) are required to display no-smoking signs and failure to do so may result in a £200 fine or lead to a prosecution and be fined up to £1000.

The law also requires those responsible for smoke-free premises (including vehicles) to prevent or stop a person smoking there and failure to comply may lead to a prosecution and a fine of £2,500.